A burglar made himself a cup of tea and was caught napping when he broke into a theatre.

Adrian Edwards was found by a member of staff at the Central Theatre in Chatham having bagged a laptop, drill and trainers.

The 46-year-old even made himself a cuppa before falling asleep in the High Street venue on April 19.

The staff member found Edwards at 6am when they started their shift and he quickly escaped making off with the stolen items.

Blood swabs from a window and DNA found on cans of drink and cigarettes matched with Edwards, of no fixed abode, and he was charged by detectives with burglary.

Police were called and patrols examined CCTV footage before officers arrested Edwards the same day when they also found a psychoactive substance on his person.

Forensic evidence from the blood and items discarded at the theatre linked Edwards to the scene after medication in his name was also found left behind.

"This was a brazen burglary that was undermined when Edwards carelessly fell asleep at the scene..."

He admitted the break-in charge and possessing Class B drugs at Maidstone Crown Court yesterday.

He was jailed for a year and four months.

CID investigator, Karendeep Khaira, said: "This was a brazen burglary that was undermined when Edwards carelessly fell asleep at the scene.

"He had thought he had time to make himself a cup of tea while stealing other people’s property but only succeeded in leaving a trail of evidence that allowed our officers to swiftly detain him and bring him to justice.

"I hope his sentence acts as a deterrent to others."

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